Machine for sealing envelops.



H. s. GIBSON. moms FOR snA memvn ors. APPLIGATION FILED MARIN, 1907. 961,1 1 7, Patented June-14, 1910.

3 BEBBTSSHEET 1.

WITNESSES.-

ATTORNEY.

ANDREW n GRAHAM (:4)w mcwu'mmmvnms WASHINGTON, D C.

' H. S. GIBSON.

MACHINE r03 SEALING BNVELOPS,

A1PLIGATION FILED MAR. 18, 1907.

Patented June 14,1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR.

WITNESSES: I %r M" BY .L" 17 iflskhgiKZ ATTORNEY.

H. S. GIBSON MACHINE FOE SEALING ENVELOPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 16, 1907.

961,1 17. Patented June 14, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

I-VITNESSES: INVENTOR.

ATTORNE Y.

HUGH STANLEY GIBSON, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

MACHINE FOR SEALING ENVELOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 14', 1910.

Application filed. March 16, 1907. Serial No. 362,667.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGH STANLEY GIB- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Sealing Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of my invent-ion are to wet the flap of an envelop which is ready to be sealed, and next to fold this flap over onto the envelop closing the envelop, and finally to press this flap against the rest of this envelop and thus stick it to the envelop.

Along with the performance of these functions, other objects of my invention are to receive the envelop, and to automatically pass it expeditiously along through the machine and deliver it after the last operation in a sealed and perfect condition.

Still another object of my invention is to render the machine which embodies it capable of being adjusted to receive and operate upon envelops of different sizes and of different thicknesses.

The several features of my invention and the various advantages resulting from their use conjointly or otherwise will be apparent from the following description and claims.

In the accompanying drawings making a part of this specification, and in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts,Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying my improvements. The front of the table is toward the spectator. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the means for adjusting the guide for enabling the latter to guide envelops of any selected size into the machine, and through the latter. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a machine embodying my improvements. In this view, the rear of the table is toward the spectator. The scale on which this figure is drawn is somewhat larger than that on. which Fig. 1 is drawn. Fig. fl: is a plan view of the working parts upon the table. Fig. 5 is an elevation of that end of the working parts shown in plan in Fig. 4:, which (end) faces toward the bottom of the sheet in Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the device which directly folds over the envelop flap. WVith this device is shown its supporting standard. Thisview is a similar view to that of this device as seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the other slde of the device shown in Fig. 6, a portion of the standard being omitted. Fig.

8 isan enlarged view of the lower part of envelop flap in place while the envelop is approaching the flap folding device. Fig. 10 is a perspective view, on a scalesomewhat smaller than that of Figs. 8 and 9-,. but on a larger scale than those of Figs. 1 and; 2. Fig. 11 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section of the means for wetting the gum on the flap of the envelop to be sealed. The scale to. which this figure is drawn is about three times that of Fig. 3.

The operating mechanism is suitably supported. A preferred description of support is the table A having underneath supports A of any kind. To this table A the main frame B is connected,lugs B B B9, B of the frame being screwed to the table A. Rolls C, C C C and C are carried by this frame. Roll C is long; Roll C and roll C are short. Roll: C is long and roll C onthe same shaft as roll C is short.

The frame B has a central division B extending forward and back. In this frame, these lower rolls are journaled. Preferably as shown, each pivot axis of these lowerrolls turns in a hole made for it in the frame. Each of these lower rolls carries a gear wheel D concentric with its rolls. Preferably these rolls are as shown of the same diameter, and are at a distance apart. To have them move simultaneously and at the same degree of speed, I provide three intermediate gear wheels E, which respectively gear with the adjacent gear wheels D, on each: side of them, as shown. These gear wheels D are rotated by power and conveniently the rotatory movement is communicated to the gear wheels through the gear wheel G meshing into gear wheel F, in turn meshingwith the adjacent gear wheel D. of roller C. Where a crank and treadle movement is used, and as shown, the crank G is duly fixed on the shaft G of the gear wheel G, and its outer end; is pivotally connected to the treadle shaft G"*.. The treadle to operate this shaft G is of'any usuala-fo-r'm, and its construction being well understood, and forming no part of my invention, it is the roll below.

omitted from Fig. 3. The shaft G and the 1 water from the sponge. This wet periphery axial pivot of gear wheel F are supported in bearing G A fly wheel G on shaft Gr contributes to cause the speed of revolution of the gear wheels and consequently of the said rolls, which they respectively carry, to be uniform. Above the rolls mentioned is another set of rolls H, H H H and H the latter two being on a common shaft. Roll H is directly above roll C. Roll H is directly above roll C Roll H is directly above roll C Roll H" is directly above roll C", and roll H is directly above roll C This upper set of rolls is respectively of the same diameter and of the same length as the lower rolls.

When no envelop is between the upper and lower rolls the upper roll of each pair rests upon the roll directly beneath it. These upper rolls except roll H are preferably rotated positively,and rotate at the same speed as thosein the lower tier do. is provided at one end with a gear wheel J, and this gear engages the gear wheel D of The shafts of the upper rolls H, H and H and the outer ends of the shafts of the rolls H and H are respectively journaled in bearings K, K, fixed to a frame L. This frame L at one side is held down by the connecting rods M, each rod provided with a top nut M screwed on that end of the rod M which projects above the top of this frame L. The lower end of each rod is fastened to the lower frame B. By turning these nuts M down or up, the rod M is shortened or lengthened relatively to the frames B and L. Thus the lower and the upper tier of rolls are approximated, or are allowed more play apart. Thus they accommodate thinner or thicker envelops, and the pressure on the envelops passing between these rolls can be regulated. The opposite end portions of this frame are respectively connected to the frame B below by means of springs N which are strained to a desired degree, and always keep the upper tier of rolls in contact with the lower tier of rolls. These springs are an element which yields to the full extent required when the envelop passes between the rolls, whereas the amount of extension permit-ted by the rods M and their nuts M is obviously a fixedly limited one, after the nuts h 2 have been adjusted in a given instance. The connections between the frames L and the springs N are preferably the arms N one arm for each spring. The inner ends of the shafts of the upper rolls H and H are journaled in a partition plate L The roll C is adapted to wet the gummed flap of the envelop. This lower portion of this roll C is located in a tank P, provided with a sponge P WVater is present in the tank and in the sponge. As the roll C is rotated, its periphery continually receives Therefore each roll moistens the gum on the flap of the envelop, as the latter is moved forward.

To guide the envelop correctly through the machine, a guide R is provided.

By means of the thumb-wheel R the guide is adjusted to the right or the left, as the size of the envelop demands. This wheel R is concentric with the rod R and has a screw thread which en ages the screw thread It on this rod R (fine end of this rod is supported in a stationary bearing R and can slide through this bearing in either direction. The other end of this rod is fixed in the support R, shown for the most part by dotted lines in Fig. 2. This rod R and this support R are so constructed that the rod is not rotatable in said bearing, and cannot slide back or forth therein. This bearing R is fixedly attached to the guide B. Therefore as the rod R moves longitudinally, the guide moves with it. A part of the thumb-wheel R rotates in a slot R in the stationary table and therefore cannot move to the right or left. Therefore when the operator rotates this wheel R the rod R must move in the direction which the screw R of rod R impels it, and this rod in turn moves the guide R. Thus the guide R is adjusted to the desired position.

To steady the guide B when moved back and forth, there are supplemental guide rods R R one at each end of the machine. Each of these guide rods enters its own adjacent stationary sleeve R These sleeves are fixed to a frame portion of the machine. As the guide R is moved to one side or to the other, the rods R respectively slide in their respective sleeves and thus keep the guide R always in its correct vertical position.

In order to keep the main portion of the envelop in position horizontally while the rolls are advancing it, and until the operation of folding over the flap of the envelop has been in part proceeded with, I provide a suitable device, of which the preferred kind is as follows :-The platen S is, at its forward end S rolled or inclined up so that the envelop as it advances shall not strike against this end, but shall be deflected down and pass beneath the platen.

Above the platen is a fixed plate S fixed to the frame, preferably by the cross piece S screwed to the frame by a screw located in the hole S and extending up into the frame L. Rods S extend from the platen (to the upper surface of which they are fixed) upwardly to the plate S and then through the latter and above the latter. At their upper ends each is provided with a head S Springs S one for each rod S, embrace these rods between the plates and tend to continually press the plate S downward and away from plate S The distance this plate is allowed to descend is regulated by the set screw S screwed on the upper end of the central rod- 8. Below this resilient guide S, which is a vertical presser foot, is an under guide T, consisting preferably of a long rod T provided with a depending portion T which is adjustably mounted in the sleeve T with set screw T carried by the post T, which post is suitably supported in the" framework. The horizontal portion of the rod T extends closeup under the platen S and the flat portion Y of the upper deflector Y.

In order that suitable pressure may be applied to the rod T I support the rod in a horizontally grooved arm T, which is carried by a laterally adjustable sleeve T mounted on a horizontal rod and carried by the rod T, which rod T is adjustably mounted in the sleeve T provided with the set screw T the sleeve T being carried by the post '1 suitably secured in the framework. By adjusting the rod T vertically, suitable pressure is brought to bear on the horizontal compression rod T and by sliding the sleeve T on the horizontal rod (not shown) which is carried by the rod T suitable lateral adjustment for the rod T may be obtained, the set screw '1 being loosened to allow the supporting end T of this rod to turn in the sleeve T".

I will now describe the device for cleflecting the envelop flap and folding it against the envelop. The side deflector IV has a vertical supporting extension connected toa horizontal extended portion W The deflector Y has an extension plate Y and this plate is provided with vertical rods Z, whose bases are fixed to this plate Y These rods Z extend upthrough the plate V Each of these rods has a head Z above the plate IV. Between the extension plate Y and the extension plate V each of these rods Z is embraced by a spring Z. A central rod Z fixed at its lower end to the extension plate Y extends up through the ex tension plate and is there provided with a screw thread on which is screwed a nut Z. This rod Z, between the extension plate Y and the extension plate W preferably has a spring(not shown) embracing it. This spring is similar to the other spring Z By turning the nut Z in one direction, the springs Z are compressed and the extension plate Y elevated, and vice versa. Yet the plate 72 is at all times resilient to a pressure from beneath.

The front edge of the deflector X, curved substantially as shown, begins about where the curved deflector Y unites or merges into the extension plate Y The main portion of the curved deflector WV is preferably somewhat in advance of the curved deflector Y. The rear end of the deflector X is extended in a flat way X Thus the extension plate Y and this extension plate X respectively serve as upper and lower guides for guiding the envelop as it passes between the deflecting (envelop flap folding) devices and out from them. These deflecting devices are suitably supported. Preferably they are supported as shown, namely on a standard U, as follows: The rod U is securely fastened to the under side of the deflector X. This rod U fits within the rod standard U and is slidable therein. A set screw U of the tubular standard U enables the rod U to be set at the proper height relative to the standard U. The standard is capable of horizontal adjustment. To the base of the standard U is fixed a horizontal guide rod U In the framethat supports this standard is a slot U and the guide U is in this slot U and is slidable back and forth therein. A thumb nut U engages a screw threaded extension U of the standard U. This nut U when screwed up, bears against the bottom of the frame and draws the standard down so that the frame is tightly held between the standard and the nut and hence held frictionally secured in a fixed position. By loosening the screw U the standard U guided by the guide rod U can be moved backward or forward as desired, and can then be set at such point by the thumb screw U In preparing this mechanism for operation, the parts are set substantially as follows: The guide R is adjusted through the agency of the thumb-wheel R so that the envelops of the size to be operated upon cannot move away from the deflectors as it (each envelop) is successively carried through the machine. The screw S of the presser foot S is duly adjusted, so that the presser foot is in the right position relatively to the table and to the deflectors behind it. The rod T is adjusted so that it shall bear upon the envelop between the line where the flap joins the envelop and the longitudinal mid-line of the envelop, and preferably nearer tothe flap than to the said median line, and so that it shall press'sutticiently hard to compress the matter within the envelop and prevent the latter and its contents from expanding and thereby drawing or otherwise moving the flap out of line. Finally: the deflecting devices, which are preferably a unitary combination for among other objects the purpose of more easy adjustment, are elevated to the proper height relative to the other operating parts, and are rotated on the standard U until in the right position. They are then set in such position. The setting of them forward or backward with the length of the machine is also done by means of the slot U guide U and set screw U The tank P with sponge P are duly supplied with water.

The machine is now in readiness to be op- 7 mode in which my machine operates.

erated. I will now specify, in general, the 1 operation of sealing is now complete and the envelop to be sealed is laid down on the front part of the table, and it is there conventionally represented in Fig. 1. The flap is open and lies with its gummed side next to the table. The opposite and closed edge of the envelop rests against the guide R. The rolls are set in motion. The envelop is pushed forward by the operator and fed bet-ween the rolls H*, H above and C, C below. The wet roll C in turn wets the gum on the flap Q of the envelop. The envelop is carried forward, and before it leaves the rolls H H C and C the larger portion of the body Q of the envelop which is nearest the closed edge, passes between the short rolls H, By these last named rolls, the envelop is carried forward. That part of the envelop body Qj which is nearest the flap Q, passes between the spring rod T and the elastic presser foot S; this presser foot S being above the envelop and the spring rod T below the envelop. Thus the edge portion of the envelop body which is next to the flap Q, is tightly compressed between the guide presser rod T and this guide presser foot S. As a result, the envelop and the matter it contains are so compressed that this part of the envelop cannot spread apart but is closely pinched or compressed together. In consequence of such compression, the flap Q, is free to fall down. If it were not for such compression of the envelop body near its mouth, this body and the matter within it, especially when that matter is bulky, would spread open at its mouth and also stiffen the envelop flap and keep it elevated. Then the flap could not readily be lowered without a special conformation to push it down from the horizontal, and the flap when turned under would not finally neatly seal the envelop. But with compression devices substantially such as specified, the envelop flap drops part way down below. As the envelop is moved forward, the outer edge of the open flap meets deflecting plate IV. The latter moves the outer edge of the flap downward until the plane of the flap is vertical. The outer edge of this unsealed flap now impinges on the deflector X and by it, it is bent upward under the body of the envelop and. closer and closer to it, until it is bent parallel to this envelop body, and in this position relative to the envelop, it and the envelop pass between the flat extension 72 above and the flat extension X below and then on between the roll H and the roll C. As the flap is thus folded by the deflecting plates, it will be folded over the rod T, but as the envelop is fed forward. the envelop will pull out from the rod. The rolls H and C bring the flap Q and the body of the envelop into contact and seal the flap Q securely to the body of the envelop. The

The l envelop is delivered into the hand of the waiting operator, or more usually into a suitable receptacle. The latter is evidently the more convenient plan, when a large number of envelops are to be sealed.

It should be noted that, when the machine is operated at a moderate speed, it will fold and seal some ninety envelops in a minute.

lVhat I claim as new, and of my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 2- 1. In a machine for sealing envelops, the combination with feed rolls arranged in series to carry the envelop through the ma chine, and a roll for applying moisture to the gummed flap, of means for compressing the open mouth of the envelop to permit the flap to be properly deflected, and a deflecting device to fold the flap over the compression device.

2. In a machine for sealing envelops, the combination with feed rolls arranged in series to carry the envelop through the machine, and a roll for applying moisture to the gummed flap, of means for compressing the open mouth of the envelop to permit the flap to be properly deflected, and a deflecting device to fold the flap over the compression device, with an adjustable guide arranged parallel with the feed of the rolls and against which the envelop is fed through the machine.

3. In a machine for sealing envelops, the combination with the feed rolls to carry the envelop through the machine, and a roll for applying moisture to the flap, of a rod for compressing the open mouth of the envelop to permit the flap to be properly deflected and a deflecting device to fold the flap over the compression rod.

4. In a machine for sealing envelops, the combination with the feed rolls to carry the envelop through the machine, and a roll for applying moisture to the flap, of a rod for compressing the open mouth of the envelop to permit the flap to be properly deflected, with a presser foot to hold the body of the envelop against the action of the compres sion rod and a deflecting device to fold the flap over the compression rod.

5. In a machine for sealing envelops, the combination with feed rolls to carry the envelop through the machine, of a spring presser foot and a compression rod between which the envelop is passed to compress the same at the mouth to permit the proper deflection of the envelop flap, wit-h a horizontally disposed deflecting plate with vertically curved guide, and a bottom plate curved upwardly both laterally and longitudinally to complete the folding of the flap.

(3. In a machine for sealing envelops, means for compressing the open envelop to permit the proper deflection of the flap, said means comprising the horizontally disposed spring actuated plate and a'rod extending lengthwise of the plate and bearing lengthwise thereon, and between which rod and plate the envelop is fed, with means for folding the envelop flap over said rod.

7. In a machine for sealing envelops, a pair of initial feed rolls and a pair of delivery rolls with intermediate devices for feeding the envelop, a folding device to fold the envelop flap, and means to continuously 1O compress the body of the envelop near its mouth while the envelop is fed through the machine.

HUGH STANLEY GIBSON.

Attest:

NATHANIEL H. JMAXWELL, K. SMITH. 

